What about standalone Sat/Jup monitoring scope?

[riklaunim]

Things tend to hit Jupiter, and some probably also hit Saturn. When we are imaging from time X to Y we don't cover 100% of that time, and usually the frames aren't checked for impact flashes. There was some talk about making some network for monitoring Jupiter or Saturn for such events.

So what about creating a basic setup for such thing?

mount: alt/az or EQ with electronics (guiding & GoTo)

scope: small cat or newtonian (sets with the mount)

camera: webcam, TV/Video camera

So we need a mount that can track a planet and somewhat fix the position if needed (simple guiding). Best if it could guide based on frames captured from the camera (custom software needed), and if not maybe guiding using SynGuider/NexGuide through the finder on the planet. Standard guide cam would requre a laptop...

It would be also cool if no PC would be required - so the camera would have to store the frames somewhere. There are some webcam-video cameras that store the avis/frames, but also wireless webcams, cameras are an option. TV/Video like Mintron/Watec have some wireless adapters too, and maybe there are some recorders for them?

[brianb]

It would be also cool if no PC would be required

Realistically you're going to need a PC to scan the frames (even if not in real time) & also manage the mount / weather protection etc ... focusing drift is likely to require auto intervention too. This is not a proble which can be ignored, nor is it a trivial one to fix.

Gonna need a fair bit of aperture to capture faint events, and (realistically) guiding of some sort.

[riklaunim]

Analyzing would be done afterwards when the frames would be downloaded to the main PC. The aperture also doesn't have to be big. 150mm -

Guiding without a PC would be possible with SynGuider/NexGuide and the finderscope (guiding on the planet).

[riklaunim]

Anyone has some more comments, ideas?

[JamesF]

Have you worked out how much storage you'd need?

James

[Stephen]

Some form of sanity check for going under the horizon?

(I have horrid visions of very expensive rigs smashing into the ground or throwing themselves over when the cables get tied up ... )

[riklaunim]

Storage. Let say it can work up to 6 hours - 360 minutes - 21600 seconds. Now if I catch 10FPS that will give me 216 000 frames. If every frame is "small" BMP around 0,7 MB then 151 200 MB -> 147 GB :] If it would be smaller (PNG?) at 0,1 MB then it would be only around 20 GB Both doable for a modern HDD.